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Several of the best places to
eat in Cairo, patronized by both locals as well as visitors,
are located in the international hotels. Food in Egypt is
reasonably priced, so you will rarely need to pay more than
US$35 for a three-course meal (without wine). Imported wine
are a lot more expensive than the local version. Tax and
tips in addition to the prices listed on the menu can raise
the bill up by 20-25%.
Tucked out of the way in Giza, near the pyramids, is Andrea,
a traditional Egyptian grill with a shady garden terrace,
indoor dining room and cellar bar. A famous lunch spot for
Cairene families, making your mouth water from the moment
you step out of the cab with the scent of chicken, quails
and kofte sizzling over a charcoal grill and fresh baked
bread from the clay oven.
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Two large aquatic zoos greet you into this stylishly
modern restaurant where a sushi bar goes well with
delicious seafood, the recipes ranging from the
traditional (lobster thermidor) to Pacific fusion
(pan-seared salmon pagoda with foie gras and
teriyaki sauce). Non-seafood and vegetarian options
are also available. Homesick Americans may go for
steaks, with a very western steak house menu from
buffalo wings and Caesar salad to, of course, steak
- in many preparations.
Located in the heart of the Khan al-Khalili market,
there is an atmospheric indoor eatery that makes a
great place to break for lunch after shopping in the
1,000 or so shops of Cairo's great bazaar. |
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They serve traditional Egyptian food (take your time and
work through a variety of meze), the waiters are courteous,
the cleanliness excellent (the restaurant is owned by Oberoi,
who also owns the Mena House Hotel) and the restaurant is
happily air-conditioned. The coffee shop, which caters light
meals and snacks, is named after Egypt's Nobel prize-winning
novelist, whose setting for many of his works is in this
area. The coffee shop continues to boast of its clientele of
local artists and intellectuals.
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Priding itself as Cairo's only vegetarian restaurant
(although you can get vegetarian dishes anywhere
serving Egyptian or Middle Eastern cuisine), this
British-owned Mediterranean-style restaurant has
become a popular place to rendez-vous for visitors
and hip Cairenes alike.Soups, salads and pastas are
the basics of a regularly updating menu and there
are a few fish and meat dishes added in to keep meat
lovers happy. The ambience is dark and intimate at
night, lit by candles, while the upstairs bar is
also very popular. It is good to arrive early to
admire the sunset from the cocktail lounge on the
40th floor of the Grand Hyatt Hotel, before going up
one more floor to the Revolving Restaurant, with
Cairo spread out at your feet like a tapestry of
light.
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Best suited for intimate dinners for two than large parties,
as the tables are arranged round the central platform, the
setting at the Revolving Restaurant is incomparable and an
appetizing French haute cuisine menu more than lives up to
its reputation.
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